Sweden keeps doors, minds open to immigrants

[Aptrgangr]

Sweden keeps doors, minds open to immigrants

STOCKHOLM, Sweden: While Sweden is receiving immigrants in record numbers, few voices are calling for closing the borders.

It's somewhat of an anomaly in today's Europe.
The waves of anti-immigration sentiment that have washed across many European countries seem to have fizzled somewhere over the Baltic Sea.
To be sure, a small far-right party has been making advances and there are growing concerns over failing integration of minorities. But so far, surveys show attitudes toward immigrants remain remarkably positive, and the new center-right government says it has no immediate plans to stem the tide of newcomers.
"I think it is good that Sweden sets itself apart from other countries on this point," Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom said. "A high level (of immigration) is not a problem per se. The problem is to get people to work." The EU's Eurobarometer survey released last week showed Swedes had the most positive attitudes toward immigrants in the bloc, with 77 percent saying they contribute a lot to society. In Germany only 30 percent agreed. The EU average was 40 percent.
"Compared to many other countries in the EU, Sweden is less xenophobic," said Anders Lange, a Stockholm University researcher who surveys attitudes toward immigration.
He warned, however, that Sweden was seeing the same problems with integration experienced by European countries. Immigrants have a harder time finding good jobs and housing, fueling bitterness and anger.
The national statistics office last week said immigration would reach the highest level ever in 2006, led by Iraqis fleeing the violence in their homeland and Poles looking for work. An estimated 81,000 foreign nationals moved to Sweden this year, up 58 percent from the year before.
The influx, which helped push the population beyond 9.1 million, was mainly due to a temporary law that allowed thousands of asylum-seekers to stay in Sweden even though they had previously been denied residency permits, the agency said.
Immigration authorities said more than 21,000 people had applied for asylum in Sweden by November, compared to some 17,500 last year. The pressure on case workers is mounting.
"It's been a very tough year," Migration Board spokeswoman Marie Andersson said.
Billstrom called for "vigilance" to make sure the system can handle the immigration flow, but added the government has no plans to alter asylum policies that saw the number of Iraqi immigrants more than triple this year.
"The policy we have is based on the need for protection. The government has no reason to change that legislation," he told The Associated Press.
While many European Union countries have clamped down on immigration, Sweden, where about 12 percent of residents are foreign-born, has kept its borders relatively open.
It was one of three EU countries to allow unrestricted access to workers from the 10 new member states that joined in 2004. It plans no restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians when they become EU citizens on Jan. 1.
Sweden's approach contrasts with immigration restrictions seen in many other EU countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands.
Dutch immigration authorities said about 73,000 people had applied for residency permits by the end of November, compared to 99,000 in 2005 and 126,000 in 2004.
In Denmark, the number of asylum-seekers has dwindled since stricter laws were introduced four years ago, from more than 6,000 in 2002 to some 1,500 in the first 10 months of this year, according to the Danish Immigration Service.
Both countries, previously known for being among the most welcoming nations to immigrants, have seen attitudes harden.
Sweden's far-right says the country will be forced to cut immigration sharply.
"This is not a reasonable level because we already have very big difficulties integrating the people who are already here," said Jonas Akerlund of the Sweden Democrats, a party with roots in an extreme-right movement in the 1980s. The party, which doubled its support in September elections, is not represented in Parliament but has more than 200 seats on local councils, mostly in southern Sweden.
"We have for a long time had an immigration that is sharply different from our neighboring countries. It's a bigger task than we can handle," Akerlund said.
However, the party's rise did not worry Abdel Kader, a Muslim immigrant from Morocco, who said immigrants are generally "well-received" in Sweden.
"It's normal that groups like that exist, but I don't think they will grow in Sweden because people feel safe here," he said. "The way you are treated (here) let's you relax so that you can live your life normally."

Sweden keeps doors, minds open to immigrants - Europe - International Herald Tribune

[Menydh]

While Sweden is receiving immigrants in record numbers, few voices are calling for closing the borders

I've read people trying to analyze this phenomenon of extreme apathy in the Europeans and blame it in a kind of collective suicidal will.

True, apathy may be a direct effect of depresion, and suicide a direct consequence.

Still I believe that blaming it to only one effect could make us lose perspective over the whole picture.

[wilpuri]

Well it seems to me that Swedes ceased to exist a long time on the spiritual level, thanks to continuous propaganda. There is no collective Swedish social consciousness, it seems, no "us" spirit.

[Pagandawn]

Originally Posted by wilpuri

Well it seems to Swedes ceased to exist a long time on the spiritual level, thanks to continuous propaganda. There is no collective Swedish social consciousness, it seems, no "us" spirit.

Unfortunately, My dear Wilpuri.

I can only agree.

[Menydh]

When and how did Liberalism started to hit the Swedish?

I've been hearing all kind of bizarre stories blaming it to Christianism. However, these are in my opinion fantasies which don't hold themselves before the evidence of reality.

In the 60s and through the 70s and into the early 80s, Swedish tourists who visited Spain gave good account of this already. It was a striking difference the liberal mind of the Swedes compared with the then strong traditional and Catholic mind of the Spaniards. If something, this evidence pointed into the opposite direction.

In fact, it's been needed a de-christianisation process of Spain for Spaniards to fall in the same hole.

The first Socialist Prime Minister in Spain, Felipe González, was a declared admirer of Swedish Social-Democrat Olof Palme and the current Socialist Prime Minister, Zapatero, you could say that it is an advantaged disciple of those ideas. Incidentally as much of an "anti-xtian" as you are, Pagandawn.

Out of true concern for your nation, I urge you to dig into the real roots of the problem of your people, instead of pointing at easy-to-make victims.

Time ago I was convinced that joining the European Union would be damaging to us. It's taken me all these years to realize that my worse fears would be largely surpassed by the reality.

Today I'm coming to the conviction that a loose, non selective and non filtered contact of Spanish nationalists with other European nationalists, has a similar negative effect.

[Pagandawn]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

When and how did Liberalism started to hit the Swedish?

I've been hearing all kind of bizarre stories blaming it to Christianism. However, these are in my opinion fantasies which don't hold themselves before the evidence of reality.

In the 60s and through the 70s and into the early 80s, Swedish tourists who visited Spain gave good account of this already. It was a striking difference the liberal mind of the Swedes compared with the then strong traditional and Catholic mind of the Spaniards. If something, this evidence pointed into the opposite direction.

In fact, it's been needed a de-christianisation process of Spain for Spaniards to fall in the same hole.

The first Socialist Prime Minister in Spain, Felipe González, was a declared admirer of Swedish Social-Democrat Olof Palme and the current Socialist Prime Minister, Zapatero, you could say that it is an advantaged disciple of those ideas. Incidentally as much of an "anti-xtian" as you are, Pagandawn.

Out of true concern for your nation, I urge you to dig into the real roots of the problem of your people, instead of pointing at easy-to-make victims.

Time ago I was convinced that joining the European Union would be damaging to us. It's taken me all these years to realize that my worse fears would be largely surpassed by the reality.

Today I'm coming to the conviction that a loose, non selective and non filtered contact of Spanish nationalists with other European nationalists, has a similar negative effect.

Interesting post Mynydd!

Liberalism in Sweden? It has always been there? (Don't exactly know what you mean here, when we have this American pejorative term.)

Believe it or not I don't blame this particular thing on xtianism.

60's and 70's, yep the Swedish people were the avant-garde of the "liberated" peoples of Europe. Hey, you Spaniards were the most conservative people of Europe. So, it was a bit of a contrast. Franco was still alive. A real moral fossile. (I'm not a anti francist, I actually regard him as an hero). He became a bit like Brezniev, very stagnating and stiff.

Yes, both Felipe Gonzales and the Spanish king Juan Carlos, were influenced by Scandinavian/Swedish patterns. I think in a good way. Spain, quickly became a full and respected member of EU.

When I was a kid, I visited Spain many times in the late 70's and early 80's mostly to Barcelona.
The feel you got was that the Spanish did everything they could to catch up with the rest of the "liberal" Europe. On the Ramblas you could see very explicit porno mags on sale, right in the open. Unthinkable in Sweden.

EU? I can only agree with you. I was always a staunch supporter of EU. But as you said: "my worse fears would be largely surpassed by the reality"

I still think EU has potential. If we nationalists decide the direction. But things has gone very bad the last 10-15 years.

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Pagandawn

Liberalism in Sweden? It has always been there? (Don't exactly know what you mean here, when we have this American pejorative term.)

Yes, liberal is a much ambiguous word.

It was in Spain that the word liberal was first used in a political context in 1812, in the draft of the Spanish Constitution in Cádiz (Andalusia). The Liberales, though opposed to Napoleon, defended reforms in Spain in the line of the French Revolution. The other two groups in the Courts of Cádiz were the Absolutistas and Jovellanistas (the latter defended some reforms, but not the revolutionary character).

But modern Liberalism and Neoliberalism have their origins in the Classical or Anglo-Saxon Liberal school.

But here I use it with yet another meaning.

Believe it or not I don't blame this particular thing on xtianism.

I would be much surprised. At least here the confrontation between Liberal ideas and the Church has been central no few clashes, including some civil wars.

60's and 70's, yep the Swedish people were the avant-garde of the "liberated" peoples of Europe. Hey, you Spaniards were the most conservative people of Europe. So, it was a bit of a contrast.

Quiet a contrast from what I recall.

Putting it in perspective, many years later, I would think that some kind of agreement between the character of the Swedes and the character of the Spaniards, would have been interesting.

If such thing would have ever been possible..

Franco was still alive. A real moral fossile. (I'm not a anti francist, I actually regard him as an hero). He became a bit like Brezniev, very stagnating and stiff.

It is a mistake to try to judge Franco as a common politician, which he was not. I'm not anti- nor pro-francoist. There is no such thing as francoism.

Yes, both Felipe Gonzales and the Spanish king Juan Carlos, were influenced by Scandinavian/Swedish patterns. I think in a good way. Spain, quickly became a full and respected member of EU.

Ouch! How was that good?

When I was a kid, I visited Spain many times in the late 70's and early 80's mostly to Barcelona.
The feel you got was that the Spanish did everything they could to catch up with the rest of the "liberal" Europe. On the Ramblas you could see very explicit porno mags on sale, right in the open. Unthinkable in Sweden.

The "aperture". Strange days indeed.

EU? I can only agree with you. I was always a staunch supporter of EU. But as you said: "my worse fears would be largely surpassed by the reality"

I still think EU has potential. If we nationalists decide the direction. But things has gone very bad the last 10-15 years.

The EU is wrong from the start. Europe is not as real as we are told.